Chapter 25: Intercourse

By: Dardarax

Disclaimer: I, Dardarax, do not own Spyro, Cynder, the Dragon Temple, or any other character or place belonging to the Spyro Franchise. My wife is a gold fish. It's really hard though, since I have to keep reminding her. I do own several characters who are featured in this chapter. Their names are listed at the bottom.

The warm chatter of voices reverberated about the halls as the students streamed from their last class of the day. A swarm of dragons soared out of the nearest exit, to enjoy the still warm autumn air, and the slow blushing of the leaves. Among the crowd of dragons, nestled in the vibrant rainbow of colours, walked two dark-hided dragons, one of ebon blackness and the other a deep blue and white. They moved through the crowd unnoticed and unhindered, like ghosts completely forgotten by the world, just the way Vash knew Danrah liked it.

Vash glanced at his stepsister as they trod through the crowds, noting with a faint smile how she glanced about the busy students, her gaze inquisitive. He let out a silent sigh and turned forward, to lead her through the halls towards the gym for her weekly exercise. He tried to keep his thoughts focused, pointed to the task at paw but, inevitably, he found his mind wandering. Beside him Danrah continued to stare at the world around her with the disguised intensity of a hunter.

He couldn't help but wonder what exactly she was thinking. She was always quiet about what she was doing, and always kept her thoughts to herself, never interacting unless something important needed answering, or she was forced into a conversation. Vash couldn't help but sigh once more, this time aloud.

Growing up with her had been difficult, more difficult than Danrah, or their parents realized. Though it wasn't for a lack of trying on either of hers or anyone's part. Despite his despicable heritage they had always seemed to try and include him, make him belong, as undeserved as it was.

Vash shook his head in frustration, his eyes downcast. Then he noticed Danrah staring at him, and he gave a weary smile and a nod.

"We're almost there, Danrah. I just wonder what sort of queen you'll be, when you hold even your family at a wing's distance."

Danrah returned the smile and they turned down a hall. Then she spoke, her tone of voice light, bubbling and curious. "Hey Vash?"

Vash blinked and straightened at the sound of her voice, knowing it must be important. "Yeah?"

"What do you think is wrong with Savron?"

Vash paused to consider. He wasn't surprised by the question, which was odd considering how often Danrah asked him things seemingly out of nowhere. He himself had been wondering the same thing. He couldn't comprehend Savron's actions during the adventure; his rage had been impudent and petty, far worse than Lyrith's occasional outbursts ever were. While helping Tirren with her work he'd given himself a headache even trying to figure out how Savron could ever internally justify what he'd said. He'd hoped that Savron would cool down over the next few days and come to see reason, but Sleet had informed him earlier that day that Savron seemed to only have grown angrier and more sullen, and he wasn't showing any signs of being possessed by the forces of convexity.

Vash wondered for a moment how that was even possible, before remembering that Danrah wanted a response. He shrugged. "Stress perhaps? Or maybe the convexity is growing stronger in him?"

Danrah gave a slow nod. "Why do you think that though?"

Vash huffed. "I heard he's been having trouble with his convexity lessons and I imagine he's pressured by his parents because of it. Though, from what I've heard, he's been resisting their attempts to approach him. I think they know something is wrong too."

"I heard the same." Danrah said with a frown. "The Guardians are getting edgy by how unresponsive he's become." Danrah gave a small sigh, and then pouted slightly. "Well no matter what his reason is it's still no excuse for how he acted!"

Vash nodded, rolling with the façade of pettiness. "No it certainly is not. Though it is the only thing I can imagine coming close to explaining it."

Danrah nodded in agreement, sighing. "I just hope we can find out what's going wrong. Maybe we should talk to him in person?"

Vash considered telling Danrah that Sleet had no luck with that, but decided against it. Danrah had a talent for getting close to people, and he didn't want to discourage her from practicing her diplomatic skills, He suspected Savron would try her to her limit, however, if what Sleet said was to be believed.

They were just about to reach the gym showers when they were stopped, a familiar voice ringing down the hallway.

"There you are!"

Vash frowned and turned, wondering why someone was shouting. He paused, an eyeridge raised as he saw Lyrith storming down the hall towards him. He huffed, wondering what Lyrith wanted now and straightened, preparing to confront him.

Lyrith loped towards him, his expression taught and dark. Vash frowned at this, becoming even more startled as Lyrith picked up speed. He took a step back, his muzzle open but he was too late. Lyrith leapt into the air and swung his paw around, smashing it into Vash's face.

Vash heard Danrah gasp as he reeled to the side and stumbled into a group of students. Danrah jumped back in shock, looking between the panting, snarling Lyrith and her brother. The entire hall went silent.

Vash blinked, seeing lights as Lyrith rounded on him, the white's chest heaving as he gulped down air.

"You brain dead ape-fucker!" Lyrith roared, stomping over to the dazed Vash, his red eyes wild. Vash struggled to his paws, the other students having backed off, and he raised his head to meet Lyrith's gaze only to be struck again. He staggered to the side, this time not quite falling over. "Who the fuck do you think you are you brainless Grublin shit?"

"Lyrith!" Danrah cried out, her concerned voice sharp.

"Shut. Up." Lyrith snarled, turning to glare at her. Danrah's muzzle clamped shut, eyes wide as Lyrith turned back to Vash.

Vash's eyes snapped open at Lyrith's retort and he turned back to him, fangs bared and expression feral. "Don't you dare talk to Danrah like that you–"

Lyrith struck again, this time directly across the snout, causing Vash to cry out in pain and clutch at his muzzle. Vash blinked, his eyes watering from the strike. He didn't think his nose was broken, but he was sure he felt blood.

Lyrith grimaced and spat at Vash's paws. "After what you did that was a mercy, asshole."

Vash blinked away the tears of pain and looked up at Lyrith, who stood over him with a ferocious, hate-filled sneer of disgust. "What… I did?"

Lyrith visibly rolled his eyes and glanced back to Danrah, whom Vash noticed was just starting to intervene, but paused at Lyrith's words. The students had moved a fair distance away, and they could make out murmuring about if they should call the guards.

"Don't act like you don't remember, ass." Lyrith snorted derisively. "Voltlyn told me everything."

Vash paused for a moment, not sure what he meant, as he didn't understand how his candles could have harmed Lyrith. Then memories of the war and Lyrith writhing on a cot came to him in a flash, and his eyes widened in realization.

"What the fuck were you doing?" Lyrith demanded, stomping over to Vash. "No, actually that's not what I want to know. I want to know why. Why the fuck did you violate my mind you rotten, shit-for-brains piece of scum? Why did you help her do it?"

Vash flinched, his entire body going stiff. He could see Voltlyn's pleading eyes and the anxiety on the faces of all his friends as they listened to Lyrith's piteous groans. He distantly remembered Lyrith's comment about his parents, and the pity it had risen in his chest as he looked upon the suffering, delusional albino.

"Because it better be more convincing than her excuse!" Lyrith growled, before gripping Vash's spiny tendrils in his fangs to toss him bodily away from the wall. Vash hissed in pain, and hit the ground at a roll. He looked up blearily at Lyrith, his eyes fixing on Lyrith's red gaze. The white drake's face was twisted up in fury, but his eyes were full of fear. Vash quailed under that gaze, remembering from long ago his birth parents' eyes whenever he entered a room, and the looks the villagers cast his way whenever they thought he wasn't looking.

Lyrith waited a moment, before his muzzle twisted into a grimace. "Nothing. Just as I thought." Lyrith reached over and planted a paw on Vash's chest, pinning him down as he lowered his face to meet his. Vash choked, unable to breathe as Lyrith put the entire weight of his body down upon his chest, the white's claws piercing his scales as he spoke. "I don't know, or care, if you were trying to do good by letting Voltlyn into my mind, or if you were doing it for her sake or mine. It doesn't matter either way, because you were wrong. I want you to think on what you've done, Vash, and I want you to know that I will never forgive you."

Vash gasped for breath as Lyrith lifted his paw away, gulping down air. Lyrith turned his back on him, cast a glare towards Danrah, and strode off. The crowd parted for him, all eyes on him as he left, his pawfalls growing distant.

Vash lay on the ground, staring after him with wide eyes, his chest constricted with roiling horror. He felt his limbs quivering and he tried to still them, but to no avail. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Danrah turn to him, tears trickling down her cheeks as she rushed over to help him up. He reluctantly stood, his gaze falling to the ground. His stomach bubbled and the corners of his visions extended, lengthening as though stretched by some great force. His throat was clogged with thick stones of guilt.

He'd never told his parents, or his teacher what he'd done that day, and Danrah had promised not to do so either. He'd convinced himself that he'd done the right thing, that he'd helped everyone by using his powers, and that this one time he really was using it for good. Vash choked, his wings curling up against his flanks, as if to protect himself.

"Vash?" Danrah murmured, lifting his head to meet hers tentatively. "Are you alright? Do you need to go to the clinic?"

Vash stared at her for a moment, not quite understanding. Then he gave a slow nod. "I'm… alright," he lied. "But I bet Voltlyn's not."

Vash straightened. Voltlyn. Lyrith had said he'd learned about this from her. He'd mentioned that he'd hoped his excuse would be better than hers. Vash's throat went dry. He rose and bolted down the hall, in the direction Lyrith had come from, ignoring Danrah's cry of alarm and calls for him to stop.

He had to find her, had to make sure she was alright. It was his fault that this had happened, and he couldn't let it get worse than it had already become.

…

Tirren came to a stop by one of the windows and took a deep breath to calm herself. She wiped the last remnants of tears from her face and sighed; she was glad she hadn't encountered many people on her way out of the gym. She'd all but ran once she had exited the female showers, not wanting Igneous to follow her.

She sighed deeply, and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes. She stood there for a moment, enjoying the breeze on her face and letting her thoughts drift away. Then she huffed and opened her eyes, to look around at the hall. She wasn't sure where precisely she was, as she had been far more focused on escaping unnoticed than going anywhere in particular. She cast about for a moment, trying to discern any notable landmarks. Then she paused and shrugged. It didn't matter where she was. She'd eventually find her way back, and a simple walk would be a pleasure to enjoy for once. Tirren picked a direction at random and strode down that way, letting the sights of the carvings, statues, and tapestries wash over her as she walked.

She knew she should probably return to her room and begin on her homework again, but after all that happened the thought left a bitter taste in her muzzle. She'd go back to it eventually, but for now, today, she figured she deserved a break.

She twisted and turned, going wherever her whims took her, even once she began to recognize locations. For once, she didn't feel like she was in a rush, and not having to fret over Savron badgering her to go on an adventure was shockingly relaxing.

She sighed at the thought of Savron. While she did enjoy the occasional one of his outings, they were often extraordinarily stressful. The extensive travelling, exploring, and the terror at dealing with traps and monsters simply did not hold the same thrill to her as it clearly did to Savron and Igneous, and she wished she, and they, had seen that earlier.

"When Savron comes and apologizes to me," Tirren murmured to herself as she continued walking. "I'll put off adventuring for a bit, but that doesn't mean I won't go eventually. Damn him and his stubbornness."

Tirren turned down a side passage and abruptly found herself in the female corridor. She blinked at this, and then shrugged. She might as well drop by her room to get some things. Maybe a book or two? She hadn't had time to read for pleasure in weeks.

Smiling at the thought, Tirren picked up her pace, moving purposefully to her chamber, ducking her snout into her satchel to find her keys. She was just approaching her door when the sounds of sobbing caught her attention. She glanced further down the hall, wondering where it was coming from. She dropped her keys back into her satchel and strode down the hall, searching for who might be crying. She followed the noise, until her eyes fell upon Voltlyn's chamber, which was open a crack. Inside she could just make out the sounds of soothing whispering under the heavy, broken gasps for breath and wails of sorrow, and Tirren's brow furrowed.

Stepping softly she made her way to the door, and gave it a gentle push open. Inside the room was a mess, with pillows, paper, and damage art pieces laying about everywhere. Across from the door, sitting near the window laid Voltlyn bawling on her bed of cushions, surrounded by her friends. Typhia and Flaresse lay next to her, holding her close, whispering soothing words that Tirren couldn't quite make out. Tantius sat a short distance away, his expression sad, while Zindy plodded through the room, her expression downcast as she helped clean up the mess.

Voltlyn looked up at the sound of the door, face full of hope. Then her expression split upon seeing Tirren and she fell back into sniffling sobs once more. Tirren's frown deepened and she glanced to the others, who hastily tried to calm her.

"Can I come in?"

Voltlyn hiccupped something unintelligible, but Tantius met Tirren's gaze and gave a solemn nod, though he vainly tried to brighten it with a smile.

Tirren stepped inside and moved over to Tantius, wondering what had happened here. The Feran nodded to her as Tirren took a seat next to him, and then turned his eyes to Voltlyn, guiding Tirren's.

"What happened?" Tirren whispered, not wanting to disturb whatever Flaresse and Typhia were whispering to her.

Tantius sighed and pursed his muzzle together tightly. "That Lyrith fellow had a terrible shouting match with her. I hear he left her."

Voltlyn burst into a fresh wave of tears, causing Typhia and Flaresse to glare at Tantius, who sheepishly flinched and crouched down, mouthing 'sorry.'

Tirren blinked in shock and glanced over to Voltlyn in alarm. "He did what?" she asked, askance. "Why?"

"I-I'M SO-O-RRY!" Voltlyn wailed, her wings over her face to cover her shame. "I ONLY WANTED TO HELP!"

Typhia sighed and looked over to Tirren, still patting Voltlyn's back with her wing. "We don't really know. She said something about dream magic and going into his mind, but I didn't understand any of it."

"IT'S ALL MY FAULT!" Voltlyn sobbed, causing Typhia to turn to her to continue whispering her promises that it'll be okay, and that it really wasn't her fault.

Tirren stared at Voltlyn for a moment, the memory slowly surfacing as she searched. It had happened so long ago she'd almost forgotten about it. They'd been waiting around the clinic-tent as long as they could, to watch over the distraught white as he recovered from the coffin-stalker venom. Voltlyn had thought of a way to perhaps alleviate the nightmares it had induced, and Vash and Inferna reluctantly agreed to go through with it. They'd all watched as Vash began the ritual, and waited to see what would happen next. It had all been so innocent at the time, and Tirren couldn't help but admire the determination and obvious affection Voltlyn felt towards Lyrith, and at the time wished she herself could hold that sort of conviction towards Igneous.

"It had been for his own good." Tirren thought, biting her lower lip as she pondered what had gone wrong. "They'd only done it to help him, so why would he get so angry about it?"

Tirren tapped her claws on the ground, the voices of Voltlyn, Flaresse, Typhia, and Zindy fading. It was clear Lyrith was upset, and to the point of near violence, if Tantius was to be believed. If anything it showed how much Voltlyn cared for him, so it didn't make sense why he wouldn't appreciate that.

Tirren paused. "And yet… I can't imagine him ever accepting the help." Tirren's eyes flickered downwards to the ground, as she tried to imagine any case where Lyrith would ever let anyone into his mind. He already did his best to evade questions about his past, answering with non-committal comments and side-stepping truths, or simply silence all together, so of course he would resent someone pushing themselves into his personal space.

Tirren clenched her jaw, imagining if Igneous had done the same to her, or her family, or any of her friends. There were things there she wanted to keep secret, she enjoyed having a place to go where she could feel secure. And if she were to learn that someone forced their way in without her consent…

The emerald scaled draken tore herself away from that thought, a creeping crawl skittering across her scales. She would be appalled. It would be a betrayal of trust, even if it was in the name of helping her, how could she look at them the same way again?

She paused. It sounded so familiar. A sad frown crept over her face. So much intended help was going wrong lately, it seemed.

The door flew open and everyone turned. Vash stood there, bruised and bloody, staring at Voltlyn with wide eyes. Typhia and Flaresse rose, glancing at him with concern. Voltlyn looked up, her tear-streaked face growing horrified at the sight of him, her wings moving to cover her muzzle. Vash quivered for a moment and stepped in, a look of simultaneous relief and sorrow flickering over his eyes.

"Voltlyn." He murmured, his voice breaking. "I… I…"

"Vash I'm so sorry!" Voltlyn sobbed, pulling herself up from her bed but only making it a few steps before stumbling. "If… if I hadn't… he wouldn't have…"

Vash shook his head, visibly swallowing as he approached Voltlyn, limping hard. "Don't. It's… it's my fault Voltlyn, not yours. I was the one who used the magic on him, and you just happened to be the one to go into his mind. He should never have taken his anger out on you, he should have gone straight to me."

Voltlyn violently shook her head, eyes closed tight as tears poured down her face. "N-no. It's my fault, Vash. I… I made you do it. You didn't want to but I made you. I'm so so so sorry!"

Tirren watched as Typhia, Flaresse, Zindy and Tantius all rose to watch them as they approached one another, tears now even swelling in Vash's eyes at the sight of Voltlyn.

"Please stop, Volt. Let… let me explain alright. It really isn't your fault." Vash gulped, gesturing for Voltlyn to sit. "Even… even if you did pressure me, I should have insisted. It's my duty… my… my place. I'm… I'm not supposed to use my powers like that. Not ever, alright? There's… there's a reason why dream magic is considered forbidden among my people… I was breaking the rules by using my magic like that but… but I wanted to help. I thought that maybe this once I could do good with these damned powers of mine, but I was wrong, and now you're suffering because of it." Vash placed a paw on Voltlyn's and met her eyes tearfully. "I'm a huge screw-up, alright? I always have been. I try to do the right thing, I try to use my powers for good, and I try to follow the rules but I always make things worse. Always."

Voltlyn shook her head, refusing to accept it, but couldn't speak any longer, simply falling back into tears once more. Tantius rose, and the others moved towards the pair, all save Tirren, who sat and watched.

"What do you mean, Prince Vash?" he asked, taking careful steps towards struggling dream dragon. Vash looked up at Tantius and sniffed, swallowing once more. He took a deep breath and began to explain, telling him what happened to Lyrith, and what he'd done with Voltlyn to try and calm the white's delusions.

Tirren's jaw clenched tight as she watched the pair console one another, apologizing and insisting that it was their fault for what their shared victim had done to the other. She sat as Vash finished his story and Flaresse asked incredulously why Lyrith would be so upset since they were just trying to help her. Tirren said nothing as Typhia, Zindy and Tantius agreed, insisting that Lyrith was the one at fault, and that his temper tantrum was entirely uncalled for. They were only trying to help.

Tirren stood up, sighing deeply. Not like she was guiltless herself. She had been there. She hadn't thought twice about what they were doing, or if it was right or wrong, or if Lyrith would object or rally against the very thing they thought would help him. Tirren stepped through Voltlyn's door and caught sight of Danrah standing a few paces away, eyes downcast and tears in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and gave Tirren a sad smile. Tirren simply nodded in response, and kept walking.

She strode away from her room, no longer in the mood to pick up any books to read, and instead headed straight for the kitchen. She could feel a headache brewing. Today had well and truly gone to the rubbish-bin, so she might as well pick up something to drink to help calm her nerves.

…

The crowds parted as Lyrith stalked through the halls, the eyes of the students and servants filled with fear as they beheld his wrath. He could hear murmurs rippling through the crowd like waves, and while he could guess what they were saying, he didn't care enough to bother listening. He cast about, eyeing the students around him, his body quivering with wrath as he dared someone to come forward and confront him. None did.

He sneered and turned the corner. He'd been pacing the halls restlessly for hours now, unable to stop and rest. He had to know, he had to find them, and he couldn't let the fire burn out. They had to feel it, to understand it. He had to make them hurt.

He didn't know if they were hiding from him, or if he simply had been unable to find them, but he was sill searching, still looking, and now it seemed the entire Temple knew of his anger. With luck someone would come looking, to find out what was wrong, someone who deserved the lash of his tongue.

Lyrith turned and entered the grand hall and looked around. All of those around him were regular students, people who had no association with him, who didn't want to be anywhere near him. Having no luck finding anyone in the hallways he turned out into the gardens. Outside the sky was turning dark, and he could faintly make out stars twinkling in the dark-red sky. Out across the marsh the sky the sun had nearly set.

Lyrith took a deep breath and tasted the autumn air. The scent of flowers was heavy, and for a moment he felt his anger cool. Then he looked around, to search for anyone familiar. When he found no one he sighed and set out into the gardens.

It was strange, Lyrith noted as he wandered the shadowed paths among the trees and flowerbeds, how different the gardens looked in the dark. The garden was only barely lit, both by the setting sun and the faint lights shining out of the Temple windows. Many of the flowers were closed, petals shut tight now that the sun no longer blessed them with its radiance, yet many more had opened, to accept the attention of the tiny creatures of the night. The gardens looked vastly different, with all manner of strange sights and wondrous visages to behold. He couldn't help but be reminded once more of the night he had shared his memories of her with Typhous. He looked up, suddenly aware of how the leaves above had formed a roof overhead, no longer as welcoming as they had once been when they had let sunlight through their netted canopy, the occasional coloured leaf drifting down from on high.

Lyrith turned in circles as he walked, slowly becoming lost in his quiet revelry. He wandered for some time, enjoying the cool and still pastures and glades that the Temple had formed, and the utter lack of students. They had all returned inside, to rest after a long day of work and toil, and to gather in the security of the light, either uncaring of, or not privy to, the glorious wilderness of the night.

Lyrith took a deep breath, thankful for this reminder, one he had forgotten amongst the bustle of daily Temple life. He felt momentarily grateful for the tranquility that it offered him, when everything else had seemed to become lost in the haze of rage.

Then he heard a cough and he turned, startled and defensive at the interruption. He paused, his entire body stiffening.

…

Tirren eyed Lyrith from beside the pond, simultaneously surprised and un-phased by the white's appearance. She'd known they would run into one another eventually, though she had hoped it might not be in her happy place in such a compromising time. A lot had happened today and she could have used a break.

Then she shrugged and picked up yet another bottle from the cool pond water and placed it next to her. The gardens at night were a great place to mope, something she'd learned after a long month having to deal with her guardian group, so she could respect the decision to come here now of all times.

"Hey Lyr." She called out to him. "Do you want a drink?" she gestured to the bottle she had just produced with a tilt of her head. Lyrith stared at her, his expression a twisted mask of emotions. His face was shrouded in shadow, but Tirren was definitely able to make out confusion, and a swelling rage creasing his brow, the later the most easily recognizable expression on him. He turned and stomped towards her, his entire body straightening, chest swelling to make himself appear as big as possible, which Tirren noted wasn't as much as he hoped. He was very short for a dragon, and he lacked a considerable amount of the mass that most males possessed.

She waited as he came to a stop in front of her and watched to see what he'd say, what he'd do. He remained silent for a long moment, staring down at her with rage, though no words came out. She could see his muzzle working, as if trying to come up with something to say, but being unsure where to begin.

Tirren decided to give him a place. "I heard about what happened between you Voltlyn."

Lyrith's eyes widened, and then narrowed, his jaw clenching. "You did, huh?"

Tirren nodded. "I did. The two of you broke up, right?"

"We didn't just break up!" Lyrith snarled, advancing a step on Tirren. Tirren remained still, staring up at him unflinchingly. He snorted at this and continued. "She violated me! She forced herself into my mind without my consent, and then hid this from me. She used that to get close to me, used the things she did to… to make me like her!"

Tirren raised her eyeridges in surprise at that. She hadn't thought of that, though it made sense. Though she doubted Voltlyn would have done it on purpose.

Urged on by her response, Lyrith took yet another step forward, so that he towered over her sitting frame, looking down at her with built up fury. "And you had a part in it, didn't you?"

Tirren gazed up at him solemnly. "Yes, I did. I stood by and watched as she and Vash used magic to go into your mind. I didn't stop them, and I didn't think it was wrong at the time. I though what they were doing was helpful and cute, and I didn't even consider what it actually meant to have someone invade your mind. I was wrong about that, and everything." Tirren took a deep breath, her tone softening. "I'm sorry."

Lyrith opened his muzzle and paused. He stared down at her, his brow furrowing once more in confusion, and then anger at her response. "How can you be so calm? If you know what happened, if you know what it means, why… why are you so…?"

Tirren sighed as Lyrith began to stammer, trying to find the words to voice his rage. She stood and faced him, her voice soft as her eyes met his. "Lyrith, I've had some time to think on what happened to you, after I came across Voltlyn and Vash. I thought about what they did and what it meant for you. At first, I didn't think I was responsible in any way, but then I realized that I should have known what it would mean, and what I would think if it happened to me. I would have wanted someone to stop them. Yet I was there, and I didn't." Tirren took a deep breath and shut her eyes. "So I'm just as guilty as they are. I'm sorry, for all that's worth."

Lyrith stood there, staring at her, his muzzle clenched but eyes wide. He looked away from her, his fangs gnashing and shoulders tense, his anger clearly doing battle with frustration across his face. Tirren waited, knowing what was going through his head, that he needed an outlet, needed a conflict, but was finding nothing. The seconds ticked by and Tirren met his eyes once more.

"What do you want from me, Lyrith?" she asked, taking a step towards him so that they were nearly touching, her voice quiet. "Do you want me to cry and beg for forgiveness? Do you want me to defend myself, my honour? Do you want to hit me? To duel me? What will help you? What will make you feel right?"

Lyrith stared into her eyes for a moment, his shoulders relaxing and head drooping. The anger drained out of him and he loosed a gruff sigh.

"Just… don't do it again," he said, voice tired.

Tirren nodded and sat down once more, giving him a wry smile. "Alright. Now, would you like to join me for a drink? You look like you could use one."

Lyrith eyed the dozen bottles nestled in the pond and the couple strewn about Tirren and nodded, making a show of taking one from the water begrudgingly. Tirren's muzzle twitched up in a smile as she picked up the one she had initially offered him and impaled the cork with a talon, before wriggling it out with a satisfying pop.

Tirren noticed Lyrith eying the bottle in his paws suspiciously as she took her own in her jaws and tipped her head back, to begin gulping down the strong liquor contained within. He turned to her with a dubious expression, though jammed his own claw into the cork to remove it.

"I never took you to be the type to drink."

With a snort of laughter Tirren placed the bottle back down on the ground and shook her head. "I'm not, not normally anyway. Today's just… the exception." Tirren eyed the bottle, wondering exactly how strong the stuff was. She was barely feeling a buzz.

Lyrith tilted his head. "What? Today special or something?"

Tirren laughed. "No, just awful. Not only did I learn I was partially responsible for what happened with you, but I also had a confrontation with Igneous about what happened during Savron's adventure."

Lyrith grunted and took a long chug from his bottle. "Hope you told him to shove it. The way he and Savron were acting was fucking obnoxious. Don't know how Igneous could even defend what Savron was saying, let alone agree with it."

Tirren nodded firmly. "He wasn't any better when he showed up to talk with me. He wanted me to apologize to Savron. Apologize. I couldn't believe it!"

Lyrith snorted with laughter and had to put his bottle down to keep himself from shooting liquor out his snout. "What!? He wanted you to apologize? For what?"

"Exactly!" Tirren exclaimed, throwing her empty bottle away from her, to watch it bounce into the darkness. "I was certain I heard him wrong the first time, but no, turns out he thinks it'd be the only way to 'save the gang.' Not like I wanted to save it after all that."

"I'd have head-butted him right in the jaw if he suggested that to me." Lyrith muttered, finishing up his own bottle. "Would show him to spew apeshit like that."

"I don't know if I'd go that far, but I was certainly tempted to give him a good slap." Tirren admitted with a tiny huff. "What I did give him was a thorough tongue lashing… actually made him cry." Tirren's face darkened somewhat, a small squall of emotion storming up, guilt rising in her stomach. Lyrith simply laughed.

"After that it served him right!"

Tirren gave a faint nod, her eyes misting over. "You know… I used to have a crush on him…"

Lyrith smirked. "Yep."

Tirren straightened, her face turning bright red. "You knew?"

Lyrith met her gaze and grinned, nodding once. Tirren's face turned downcast and she looked to the ground, utterly embarrassed.

"Oh… Did the others...?"

Lyrith gave her a half incredulous look that told her everything she needed to know. She let out a defeated sigh.

"I guess I'm not as good at hiding my emotions as I thought I was."

"I hear admitting your faults is the first step to fixing them." Lyrith stated matter-of-factly, his muzzle twisted up into a grin, then it faded, turning flat. "Though, you should know that."

Tirren chuckled weakly and nodded in agreement at the reminder of her own words to Lyrith. "Well I don't have the crush anymore. Not after all that. I just can't look at him the same way after that."

Lyrith grimaced. "I'm having difficulty looking at anyone the same way anymore." He uncorked another bottle and began drinking.

"I don't blame you."

The two were silent for a while, drinking down bottle after bottle while gazing up at the sky and enjoying the sounds of the distant birds and cool wind rustling the leaves. Finally Lyrith shifted, his voice somewhat slurred.

"How's your classehs been going?"

"Not much better." Tirren admitted with a hiccup. "That one assignment is done, but I've got a few more like it coming up. I should really be working but… honestly I just can't bring myself to after what happened today."

Lyrith was silent for a moment, toying with his bottle. Then, with a hiccup of his own eyes he turned to Tirren. "You really want to be a Guardian, don't you?"

"Yesh… yesh I do." Tirren uncorked yet another bottle. Either the stuff she was having now was of a vastly different brew, which she doubted, or it was slow to kick in, because she was really beginning to feel the five previous bottles. "Wouldn't you?"

Lyrith paused, and then laughed, slurring slightly. "I'd never get the chancshe."

Tirren looked to him, blinking slowly, not at all convinced. "Why? Because of your shcales? Or because of your new element? Neither is a good reason not to be."

Lyrith grunted. "Well can't Guardians only be prime elements?" Then Lyrith shook his head. "Not like that matters… 'm not good enough to be chosen. I wouldn't ffit in."

"You couldn't be any worshe than the dragons I call partners!" Tirren declared, slamming the half-empty bottle down, sloshing alcohol everywhere. "In fact, I'm chertain you'd be better than any of them! You have a ffantastic work ethic! I've sheen you ssshtudy! I've sheen try your hardest! You're good! All my partners do is shtupid shenanigans and push work onto me! I wonder half of the time why they're even in the classh!"

Lyrith raised an eyeridge and fumbled for another bottle. "Oh? They're that bad, huh?"

"I can't even keep track of the ways they find to pisssss mmme off!" Tirren shouted, gesturing with a wing dramatically. She jammed her claw into the ground for emphasis. "Blitz can't… can't stop hitting on me, or any of the others, Shirrico just… Shirrico, and I have no idea what that even means! And Geocchia, oh don't even get me shtarted on her! She sheems to be trying to get on my nerves, and keeps trying to take credit for my work or make use of my theories! Everyone can see that, and she's not even nearly as… nearly as good as she boasts! Ancestors does she boast!"

Lyrith chuckled, only to cough as he inhaled some of his drink, doubling over. Tirren watched him blearily for a moment, before joining his laughter weakly. "It's just sho annoying to work with them. It'd almost be funny how bad they are shometimes, if I wasn't at the brunt end of it all."

"It almost ssshounds like something from The Blacksmith's Diary of Misfortunate," Lyrith said with a shake of his head, almost seeming to not believe it.

Tirren paused and blinked. Then her eyes went wide and she burst into laughter. "Ancestors it does! The obnoxious rival apprentice who keeps sstealing his ideas and making a nuisance of himshelf! The brain-dead moron! The asshole who keeps hitting on all the girls, including the main character's girlfriend!"

Lyrith nodded in agreement, his fangs flashing white.

Tirren sighed, her laughter dying out slowly, with the occasional fit of giggles wracking her. Then she eyed him slyly. "I'm sshurprised you read that book. Very few of the others are interested in romances."

Lyrith paused, his eyes going wide. Then he coughed and straightened himself, turning his gaze away aloofly. "I make a… habit of reading a book all the way through once I start… even if I don't like it!"

Tirren nestled down and gazed at him with narrowed intent. "Oh, really? That's… that's a sshame. I quite enjoyed them. I shuppose that means you… you didn't get to the shcene in the shecond volume where he gets revenge on his… um… on his… oh! On abusive master with the help of Nilsley by ruining all his pieches during a royal inshpection?"

Lyrith's muzzle pursed visibly at that. "Wasn't that in book thre–" Lyrith managed to stop himself, but it was too late. Tirren's smile widened and she erupted into a fit of snickers. Lyrith groaned and slumped to the grass.

"Dammit."

Tirren's laughter subsided after a moment and she looked to him with a hiccup. "It's not… not anything to be ashamed of Lyrith. I just find it amusing how adamantly you refuse to admit it."

Lyrith grumbled, his wings pulled tight to his body. "The others would laugh if they learned I liked that ssssort of book. Not even Typhous reads romances for fun, and we read a lot together." Lyrith snorted and straightened, glaring at Tirren. "I mean is… is it wrong for a guy to just want some… some escapism now and again?"

"Absolutely not." Tirren shook her head. "It's per-perfectly acceptable."

"And I don't read all of them, and not for any of those shilly mush parts." Lyrith continued, his voice growing sullen. "They just have good… plots you know!"

Tirren rolled her eyes. "Ancestors Lyrith, you don't… don't have to try and justify yourself! I read them too, a lot of them! You don't need to lie about that to me because you're worried about your precchioush masculinity! I think you're a masculine hunk already and you don't need worry about romances or anything like that tainting it!"

Lyrith's eyes narrowed, and Tirren froze at his look of suspicious amusement. "Masculine… hunk?"

A light flush dusted her face. "Um… well, yeah I sssuppose. Even though you… you have a rather feminine figure you're one of the most… most masculine drakes I know." Tirren explained, forcing a confident smile onto her face, only to catch sight of it in the reflection of the pond and see that it was lopsided. Her face felt a touch numb from the booze. "You have… all the mannerisms and you can take people who should be way shtronger than you in a fight! You're masculine, and liking romance doesn't change that!"

Lyrith nodded, his gaze going distant, a small smile creeping onto his face. Tirren let out a small sigh of relief, glad to have escaped that small trap she put herself into.

"At least, it doesn't with me." Tirren finished, sipping the last of her booze from the bottle.

"You know, Rin," Lyrith said after a moment of silence. "You were the lasht person I expected to be having this short of talk with."

Tirren looked at him, an eyeridge raised out of curiosity. "What d'you mean Lyr?"

"Talking about all these shorts of things," Lyrith gestured grandly with a wing. Tirren wasn't sure she knew what he meant, though she didn't think he did either. "You always… always shtruck me as a carefully pruned princess who would never deign to shpeak with a sstreet rat like me about that short of things, let alone give advice!"

Tirren gave a snort of laughter at the description. "Princess… That's a good one. I'm not, but I'll take it as a compliment." Tirren fished for another bottle of liquor and popped it open. She eyed the bottles around her, trying to count how many, though gave up halfway through, as they kept spinning around her. "It's not like I haven't tried to converse… it's just that I avoided you, shince you never sheemed to want to talk. I would've been more than willing to…"

Lyrith hiccupped several times uncontrollably, each one interrupting him as he tried to begin speaking. Then, finally once he'd calmed down he sighed and chuckled. "I… I doubt you would've for long… I don't even like talking to myshelf shometimes…"

"Well I like talking to you right now." Tirren said with a grin, and laid her head down on the grass.

"That'sh gonna be the booze." Lyrith looked about the bottles around him dizzily. "Makes anybody tolerable, even me to myself!"

Tirren burst into more snickers. "It certainly doesn't make Shavron tolerable."

"Sssavron's tolerable at the best of times." Lyrith responded with a laugh. "Booze only makes him sssillier."

Tirren tried to sober herself up some, wanting to make her case through the warm, throbbing mist in her head. "You're ssseriouser than him, but still willing to crack the occasional joke, what's not to love about that? Besides, you're clearly… clearly intelligent, and I like intelligent drakes a lot." She grinned widely. "Being with them can be so much fun." Tirren paused. Something sounded wrong about the statement, though it took her a bit too long to realize what. She flushed a bit darker, a shade which was thankfully hidden by her already deep flush from booze. "That came out wrong…"

Lyrith chuckled. "Don't worry about it! I get it… I get it."

Tirren and Lyrith were silent for a long moment as they finished up their bottles. They eyed the one remaining bottle in their stash, though neither moved for it. The night was now almost pitch black, save for the moon and stars, and Tirren found it incredibly difficult to make Lyrith out at this distance. She inched forward, peering at him through the blurry waves in her vision.

The stark white of his scales caught the light of the moon in faint flashes as he shifted, outlining his frame against the darkness. She could see the faint shape of his muscles under his scales, which she knew to be much more pronounced in the daylight. She could see the power even in his relaxed posture, as well as some confidence that hasn't been there earlier, confidence which he had been sorely lacking these past few days. It looked good on him.

Tirren paused and considered for a moment, blinking slowly before she made up her mind. She licked her muzzle and turned to face Lyrith.

"Hey Lyr, can you passh that lasht bottle of booze? I'm having a hard time sheeing it in the dark."

Lyrith eyed her, blinking to clear his vision before searching the water for it. He turned to her and paused, hiccupping once more. "You shure that's a good idea? You've had way more of these than me…"

Tirren grinned and nodded. "Yep. I'm shure… I'm an adult, and I'm allowed to make whatever sshtupid decisions I want to make."

Lyrith hesitated, shrugged and then leaned in close to give it to her. Tirren leaned out, paw outstretched. Then she toppled, landing into Lyrith and causing him to fall back with an 'omph!'

Lyrith groaned and blinked, to look up at Tirren who lay across his chest, her paws nestled up near his neck. Tirren saw him stiffen under her at her touch, his eyes going wide, though he did not push her away. She felt a smile crack her muzzle as she looked down at him sprawled out on the ground under her, and leaned in a bit closer.

"You know," she murmured, her muzzle half an inch away from his. "You're quite handshome in this position…"

He blinked in surprise, a light flush crossing his face. Tirren snickered and pulled back just a bit, to eye him over appraisingly. "Hey Lyr?"

He nodded slowly, his eyes unconsciously flickering over her, to examine her silver horns, emerald scales and black underbelly.

"Wanna do shomething shtupid with me?"

He hesitated for a moment, staring up into her face with some confusion. Then realization dawned and a lopsided grin split his muzzle. Tirren beamed and rubbed her paws against his firm chest as she lowered her head the short distance to his, to plant her muzzle against his in the first kiss she ever gave.

Around them the distant noises of nature dimmed, neither paying attention as they pressed against one another, muzzles locked together for a long, passionate moment. They held one another close, breaking away only to nuzzle one another's necks, to whisper to one another, and to groan softly into the dark night. Then they shifted, Lyrith turning her around so he was on top, their voices and laughter echoing about the garden. Then they began to move together in unison, their moans and gasps entwining together softly, to float upwards towards the twinkling stars above.

…

In the darkness a figure moved, watching the two. His emerald eyes narrowed as they joined and he turned away. Fury boiled in his chest as he took flight, his purple scales glimmering in the silver light of the moon.

Dardarax's Characters:

Lyrith, Tirren

Vash, Danrah, Voltlyn, Flaresse, Typhia, Zindy, Tantius

Inferna, Savron

I've been having some trouble with writing lately, mostly in chapter 27. Hopefully that'll change soon, but it's possible that I may have to go on Hiatus to get some chapters done. I want to be several ahead so I have room to work and edit. It's not a guarantee, but it is possible.

Chapter 26 will be posted on August 15th.